1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a smart card, and more particularly, to a universal printed circuit board (PCB) that can be used suitably for the various positions of chip pads, regardless of the size, type and bonding structure of an integrated circuit (IC) chip, and a smart card using the universal PCB.
2. Description of the Related Art
Smart cards or IC cards are used as microprocessor-carrying units. The smart card preferably means a card into which an IC is inserted. The smart card includes an IC processor, a small-capacity memory, and an interface card.
A smart card module inserted into most smart cards includes a PCB on which an IC chip is mounted. The IC chip is mounted on one side of the PCB, and the other side of the PCB is equipped with ISO 7816-2 external contact pads. The external contact pads include a total of 8 pads defined in the ISO 7816-2 standard.
In general, the IC chip is first mounted on the PCB of the smart card module according to a chip-on-board (COB) package technique, and then the smart card module is inserted into the cavity of the body of the smart card.
The number of connection pads for connecting the IC chip to the PCB is varied according to the type, size and/or bonding structure (or electrical assembly structure) of the IC chip. The relative position of the connection pads with respect to the PCB may also be varied according to the structure of the IC chip. Accordingly, a given IC chip design requires a dedicated PCB that is designed for pad positions specific to the type, size and/or bonding structure of the IC chip.
However, as the use of smart cards is extended into various fields, various IC chip designs are used for incorporation into the smart cards. Further, the method of mounting the IC chip on the PCB is also varied. Accordingly, it becomes difficult and expensive to design and manufacture the dedicated PCBs. These effects tend to prevent the mass production of the smart cards.
In order to reduce the manufacturing cost for the smart card product, a mass production method capable of reducing the unit cost of a component of the smart card product is required. However, when the dedicated PCBs suitable for the respective IC chips or the mounting structures thereof are used, it is difficult to manufacture the smart card products through the mass production method.
Consequently, a universal PCB that can be used suitably for various chip pad positions regardless of the size, type and bonding structure of the IC chip, and/or the number of the chip pads is required.